உளன் எனில் உளன்; இலன் எனில் இலன்!!!

சுஜாதாவின் 'கடவுள்' என்ற புத்தகம் எனது சமீபத்திய கண்டெடுப்பு. சென்ற வாரம் லேண்ட்மார்க் சென்றபோது தற்செயலாக கிடைத்தது. மூன்று புத்தகங்கள் இரண்டின் விலையில் என்ற திட்டத்தில் கிடைத்தது. ஆச்சரியமான பல தகவல்களோடு, நடுநிலையாக பல்வேறு மதங்களைப்பற்றியும், கடவுள் நம்பிக்கை, மறுபிறப்பு மற்றும் எதிர்காலம் அறியும் திறன் குறித்தும் ஆராயும் நூல். சுவாரஸ்யத்திற்குப் பஞ்சமில்லை.

ஆனால், பிரம்மசூத்திரத்திற்கு உரை எழுதிய சுஜாதா, கடவுள் இல்லை என்பது போன்ற தொனியில் நூலை முடித்திருக்கிறார். அது தான் கொஞ்சம் நெருடுகிறது.அவருக்குள் இருக்கும் பொறியாளர், அறிவியலாளரின் பங்கு அதிகம் போலும்!!!

'ஆணிலன் பெண்ணிலன் அலியுமிலன்' என்ற நம்மாழ்வாரின் வார்த்தைகளால் பிரம்மத்தை, இறையை, விவரிக்கிறார் ஆனால் கடவுள் என்று ஒன்று / ஒருவர் பிரபஞ்சத்தை இயக்கத்தேவையில்லை என்கிறார். எதை கொள்வது? ஏற்கனவே குழம்பிய குட்டை இது. இதில் அறிவியல் அறிந்தவர், ஆழ்வார்களைப்பற்றி எளிய அறிமுகம் தந்தவர், பிரம்மசூத்திரத்தை விளக்க முற்பட்டவர் குழப்பினால் என்னவாகும்? இன்னும் அதிகம் குழம்பியது!!!

கடைசியில் என் பழைய முடிவிலேயே தொடர்கிறேன் - உளன் எனில் உளன்; இலன் எனில் இலன்!!! அறிவியல் வந்து விளக்கும் வரை அல்லது இறை தன்னைகாட்டும் வரை உளன் எனில் உளன்; இலன் எனில் இலன்!!!

Go Giver

Last week I read an interesting book called "The Go Giver". The ideas given are very simple and powerful. I think all the powerful ideas are always simple to understand.

1. The Law of Value - Give more than what you get (be it effort, outcomes, affection, expression of care etc., always give more than what you get)
2. The Law of compensation - Compensation is directly proportional to no of people served and how well they are served 
3. The Law of influence - build your network by connecting with people, by genuinely caring for them. (but be careful not to connect with people with your benefit in mind; it is ugly; everyone can make out sooner or later; it can become more harmful. Instead, focus on nurturing other people irrespective of their wealth, education levels, caste, creed, religion, nationality etc. People can understand the genuineness) 
4. The Law of authenticity - the only thing you can offer is you. This is about the genuineness referred in the earlier point and also giving only from your own expertise, experience etc. Integrity and genuineness together will make you authentic.
5. The Law of receptivity - be ready to accept gifts. only if you accept, you can give. You can not pour from an empty pot. Be humble to seek & accept gifts in terms of others' knowledge, support, time and valuable inputs and the like.

I am sure many of you are familiar with these points intuitively. I think, I have also known them too before I read them. It is just that I did not write about them. I have talked about these concepts to many of my friends & mentees at various points in time. One exception is point no 2.

Like every human being, I too wanted to increase my compensation in terms of satisfaction, appreciation, impact it creates for those who receive my service etc.  in addition to the monetary part. But I focused only on 'how well you serve' part of the law. But it never occurred to me that the first part plays an equally important role though the second part facilitates the first. I am seriously thinking how can I increase the number of people I serve? 

How would you like to increase yours?

A lesson from a cricketer

Yesterday, I was a bit upset that someone accused me for no mistake of mine... it was not a mistake at all on anyone's part leave alone my mistake. I was hurt, irritatied and angry. I had an important task to complete in next one hour; I could not afford to spend that one hour in calming down the boiling mind... I took about 15 mins to settle down; relaxed; and then took on the job and completed it fairly decently as if nothing happened.

Today I was watching India Vs England cricket match. India was batting; I think it was the last over; the situation was pretty tensed. The bowler was very agressive; he bowled a few dot balls and the scene became all the more tensed. In the last over, he bowled a very difficult ball that Dhoni had to meet. It touched Dhoni's body and fell near his foot; he started running; the bowler came to pick the ball up; and the two dashed unintentionally; but the bowler started shouting at Dhoni as if he was at mistake. Raina got irritated and he was about to join the fight. Dhoni pulled him back and calmed him down to an extent. The irritated Raina tried hitting a six as a revenge probably and got caught... But, but, Doni hit a six and a few more runs and made his half century too... Big lesson....

I read somewhere that every ball is bowled at you to get you out; it is up to you to make it a sixer or boundary or singles or get out... I want to add to that. Though you are not at fault, people can try picking a fight; whether they want you to get out or not is a secondary question; they may even pour out their frustration on you though you are not the cause for their frustration; but, if you want to succeed, you need to follow Dhoni... do not lose temper even for a moment.... though you know that you are not to be blamed... leave the other person's emotions to themselves... you do not have to resolve their problems unless it is for you to resolve; you do not have to prove that you are not at fault... the truth will prove itself... you need to focus on your job... life is too costly to be lost picking up unworthy fights....

I know it is tough to follow... but, the tough follow this rule and succeed...

Are you a vegetarian?..... Continued

Some time back I wrote an article on the same topic. When I wrote that article, I was ignorant at a level looks like :-). When someone asked me if I am a vegetarian, I was thinking that this person was commenting on my food habits.

But then, if I say that I am a non-vegetarian they used to ask me if my parents were also non-vegetarians; if I say that I am a vegetarian they used to ask me if my parents were also vegetarians and I do not take non-vegetarian food from childhood. I was getting irritated with these questions. Why should anyone be bothered about my parents’ food habits? In first place, they cannot ask me about my own food habits; but people around me go one step beyond and try to find out what my parents eat!!!

Aha!!! It suddenly struck me!!! They are trying to assess which caste I belong to by understanding the food habits. Wow!!!

Has this thing called caste helped me reach where I am today? NO. My community has had a chief minister… quite a number of judges, police officials, doctors, engineers, and teachers belong to this community… it has more than 60% of retail business of Tamilnadu… So what? Did it help me a bit? Big NO. It is my parents’ hard work, simple life and focus gave me a protected childhood; not the caste they belonged to.

Have I helped my caste in any way? Bigger NO. Have I contributed to the welfare of this community? Have I lived a big successful life that helped this community benefit in anyway? Have I simplified life for any of my men and women? No, not at all…. Then how does it matter?

All I know is, my blood group is B+ve, I have a body that resembles that of humans and the chromosome study done a few years back declares that I have 46 healthy chromosomes like any other human being. So I believe, I am a human in all scientific grounds. (mentally, I may not be as matured as Mother Nature expects human beings to be though :-) )

Throughout the world, people try to find reasons to exclude fellow human being – be it race, nationality, religion, color of the skin, language they speak, amount of wealth, literacy and intellectual level… that is the reason behind so many wars and bloodshed. Lets try to include people!!! Love people for what they are and not for which category they belong to!!!

Today is my birthday

I am seriously wondering if any celebrations are really needed to remember this day!!!

Yes, today is my birthday.... Does it have any significance? Have I done anything great? Have I touched lives of others in good way? If so, how many such lives? Why so many people wish me today? is it because I touched their lives and made a difference to them in someway or because they are returning my wishes; they want to feel good on their birthdays and hence they are depositing the wishes with me with a hope that I would return them on theirs?

To me, how different is this day? does it denote anything important? is it a reminder that one year has just gone by doing nothing. I woke up like any other day, took bath, ate, slept and worked like any other day. May be, if my parents were next to me it might have made a difference... we might have had chakkarai pongal and gone to a temple. Of course, i ate chakkarai pongal and went to a temple on a few other days too. So that is not the key differentiator!!! So what is it?

What is the real meaning of a birthday? We celebrate great guru's birthdays as festivals like Christmas, Krishna Jayanthi, Vinayaga Chadurthi etc. We celebrate great leaders birthday also like Gandhi Jayanthi, Children's day, Statistics Day etc. But, where am I in the list? Why should my birthday be celebrated?

Will I ever enjoy anything I used to enjoy before? I am not sure... May be, this is called mid life crisis - when you realise that your belief system has some flaws and you are not sure of the right system to believe in, you feel stuck; nothing makes sense; world seems to be bright and gloomy at the same time; almost nothing motivates you; every success, however big it is, seems to be only like a dose of alcohol, giving a high for a moment and making you feel even more void inside...

I have never been like this... even when there did not seem any light at the end of the tunnel... I see this kind of loneliness in many women around me. From whatever they have achieved, produced or managed, I am sure, they were enthusiastic and energetic. They still radiate with energy most of the times. But they share a deep sense of loneliness with their close friends. Why????

ஹே கிருஷ்ணா!!!

தேய்பிறை அஷ்டமி கால பைரவருக்கான நாள். எதிரிகளை வெல்ல உகந்த நாள். நீ பிறந்த நாளுங்கூடத்தான். என்னை, என் போன்ற மனிதர்களை எதிரிகளிடமிருந்து காக்கத்தான் நீ பிறந்தாயா கண்ணா?

நூறு கௌரவர்களாக, நூறு விதமான தீய எண்ணங்கள் என்னைச் சூழ்ந்து நிற்கின்றன - கோபமாக, குரோதமாக, உச்சகட்ட வெறுப்பாக, பேராசையாக, ஆங்காரமாக, அகங்காரமாக இன்ன பிற துர்குணங்களாக - என்னை வேட்டையாட எந்நேரமும் தயாராக உள்ளன. என்னுடைய, பிறருடைய தீய எண்ணங்களால், சொற்களால், செயல்களால் துகிலுரியப்பட்ட திரௌபதியாக என் ஆன்மா நிற்கும்பொழுது என்னை காக்கத்தான் நீ அவதரித்தாயா கண்ணா? இவை மட்டும் தான் என் எதிரிகளா?

எனக்கென்னவோ பாண்டவர்களிடமிருந்தும் இந்த பாஞ்சாலியை நீ காக்க வேண்டும் என்று தோன்றுகிறது. கதைப்படி பாண்டவர்கள் பாஞ்சாலியின் கணவர்கள்தான்; நல்லவர்கள்தான். ஆனால் அவர்களும் ஒருவித தளைதான்; எதிரிகள்தான்.

நான் தர்மம் தவறவில்லை என்ற எண்ணமே தர்மன், தொழில் சார்ந்த நுண்ணறிவு அர்ஜுனன்; உடல் பலம் பீமன். அன்பும், ஆற்றலும், அழகும் நகுல சஹாதேவர்கள்; நகுலன் அன்பிலும் அழகிலும் மதனுக்குச் சமமானவன்; சகல உயிர்களிடமும் அன்பு கொண்டவன். சஹாதேவேன் மிகச்சிறந்த சோதிடன், எதிர்காலத்தை கணிக்கத்தெரிந்தவன்.

ஒருவர் தர்மப்படி நடக்கவேண்டும்; செய்யும் தொழிலில் கவனமும் கூர்த்த அறிவும் கொண்டிருக்கவேண்டும்; உடல் ஆரோக்கியத்துடன் இருக்கவேண்டும்; சகல உயிர்களிடமும் அன்பு கொண்டிருக்கவேண்டும், எதிர்காலத்தை கணித்து தன் செயல்திட்டங்களை வகுக்க தெரிந்திருக்க வேண்டும். இவை அனைத்தும் நல்லவைதானே? ஆன்மாவை, வாழ்வை நல்லவிதமாக வழி நடத்துபவை தானே? இவை எப்படி எதிரியாக முடியும்?

ஆனால், சபையின் முன் பாஞ்சாலி கொணர்ந்து நிறுத்தப்பட இவையே காரணம். நல்லவை என்று நாம் நினைப்பதை இறுக கட்டிக்கொண்டு, நல்லவராக இருப்பதாக எண்ணி கர்வப்பட்டு அலட்டி, தேவையற்ற தளைகளில் சிக்கி, தீய எண்ணங்கள் பலம் பெற்ற ஒரு வேளையில் சருக்குவதே ஆன்மாவின் துன்பங்களுக்கு காரணம். எனவே கிருஷ்ணா, நல்லவற்றிலிருந்தும், நான் நல்லவை என்று நினைப்பவற்றிலிருந்தும் என்னை காப்பாற்று ஐயனே!!!

ஏழு பிள்ளைகளை சாகக்கொடுத்துவிட்டு, எட்டாவது பிள்ளையான உன்னையும் இன்னொருத்தியிடம் கொடுத்துவிட்டு தபஸ்வினி போல வாழ்வு நடத்திய தேவகியின் துணிவு கொடு ஐயனே!!! தேவகிக்காவது, நீ எங்கோ உயிரோடு இருக்கிறாய் என்ற திருப்தி, அதன் பின் புகழோடு இருக்கிறாய் என்ற நிறைவு!!! வசுதேவர் என்ற ஞானியுடன் வாழ்ந்த நிறைவு!!! இவை யாவும் இல்லையெனினும், அவள் அமைதியாகத்தான் இருந்திருப்பாள்... அலட்டாமல்தான் இருந்திருப்பாள்... இறந்திருப்பாள்... என்று தோன்றுகிறது!!! எதிரிகளை மாய்க்கப்பிறந்த மாமன்னனின் அன்னை அல்லவா!!!

எட்டு பிள்ளைகளை எமனுக்கு அளித்த என் மீதும் கருணை கொண்டு என் எதிரிகளையும் களைந்து என்னைக்காப்பாய் என் ஐயனே!!!

Is any day better than the other?!?!?!?

Recently someone was asking about my birthday. When I said it is on September 11th, the immediate reaction was "Oh my god, that was a bad day". I was wondering how people come to conclusion about the days so quickly!!! In fact, the great Vinoba was born on 11th September. World Tamil Association was started on this day!!!

December 6 (Babri Masjid), November 26(Taj Attack), and December 26 (Tsunami) are a few days people remember for bad reasons. It does not mean that the other days in the calendar are any better than these days in terms of the amount of blood world sheds.

On August 4th, Queen Elizabeth was born; Barak Obama was born; however, in 1181, on August 4th, Supernova was seen; 1265, 1351, 1578, 1666, 1704, 1760 there were wars started on these days. In 1666, hurricane killed thousands of people on the same day. Do these events mean that Barak Obama and Queen Elizabeth were born on bad days!!!

If you ask someone living in Kashmir or Sri Lanka or any other place where gunshots are a daily affair, they would not rate any day better than the other. Each individual would have their own reference... when they lost a loved one.

If you dig history deep enough, you would understand that all days are almost the same!!! What matters is how you live each day!!!